


Ser Cullen:An Unauthorized and Fictionalized Account of His Life and Times

by MistressofFluff (Eravalefantasy)



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Background Relationships, Backstory, Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-13
Updated: 2015-09-13
Packaged: 2018-04-20 13:33:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4789118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eravalefantasy/pseuds/MistressofFluff
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cullen Stanton Rutherford: from humble beginnings he joined the Templars. The story of his life is the story of Ferelden honor, duty and sacrifice. This is a fictionalized account of the man some call the Lion of Ferelden, better know still as the Commander of the Inquisition, this is his story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ser Cullen:An Unauthorized and Fictionalized Account of His Life and Times

**Author's Note:**

> This is not an original idea. The basic information comes from Cullen’s backstory in Dragon Age :World of Thedas Vol. 2. I merely expanded on it to add more detail and a story.

“Mia! Give it back!” Mia had one of Rosalie’s hair ribbons and was running around in circles. Rosalie was screaming as she ran after her sister. Branson sat cackling on the floor at Rosalie’s distress.

Cullen tucked himself in a corner with his book covering his ears and trying to read. He was eight years old, the second oldest Rutherford child after Mia. Branson followed Cullen and little Rosalie was the youngest. The Rutherford children were all spirited in their own way.

Mia was the ring leader of all mischief and her two youngest siblings often joined in. Sadly, this meant Cullen was the victim of whatever silly torment Mia could devise. Cullen relished silence, he loved to read and preferred to be left alone with his thoughts.

Branson, when not following Mia’s directives, could often be found hitting things, again, usually Cullen. They’d play knights and have mock battles but Branson enjoyed it most when Cullen was trying to do anything else. Branson really loved Cullen, but he loved teasing him and his sisters as much as possible.

Rosalie, the youngest was usually content to follow Mia or Branson. She’d often just repeat whatever the others said or enjoy being silly.

The Rutherford children were never far apart from one another. Until one day when everything changed.

At eight years old Cullen had made the most important decision of his life. He would become a Templar and accept no other fate.  

He’d already received a book containing verses from the Chant of Light. Cullen had learned to read out of necessity. The running of a farm required more than just labor. Mia and Cullen would often help with tallies and requests. He’d soon discovered that books contained so much wonderful information, he would often ask at the Chantry. It was here at eight years that one of the sisters gave him the book containing part of the Chant. He’d already memorized the verses. Cullen thought the words were so beautiful, he had to learn them.

This was one such day he tried to sit in peace while Mia teased Rosalie.

Cullen tucked his book under his pillow and took his siblings' preoccupation with running about as a chance to escape.

He could make it outside without being seen. Cullen knew exactly where he wanted to go. His lake. It wasn’t really his, but it had become his favorite quiet place. He could hear the water move with the wind, or the birds as they squawked. Occasionally a fish would break the surface of the water and make the most wonderful sound as it snatched a bug and swam back down.

The walk to the lake wasn’t far. Honnleath was just a small village, it had a fairly small Chantry and a fair number of families who made their livelihood through farming and animal husbandry. They fed the villagers and sold their wares at larger markets.

Cullen felt like he could breathe again as the silence covered him. He loved his sisters and brother. They were his family. “They are just so loud.” He said. Cullen smiled and nodded as several Templars on patrol walked past him.

“Careful, Cullen, do not stray too far.” Ser Ian warned. Cullen’s constant presence at the Chantry and questions to the Templars had not gone unnoticed. In a small Chantry, it was hard not to learn the villager’s names.

“I am just going to the lake, Ser.” Cullen said. “I’ll be careful.”

“Carry on then.”

Cullen felt happier the closer he got to the lake. He stood on the small dock. Smiling to himself and thinking about how he could help so many people once he became a Templar.

He leaned against the post and closed his eyes.

“CULLEN!” Mia yelled. He jumped as she yelled and grabbed his shoulder. She laughed and motioned for the others to join her. “You snuck out again! Why did you leave, we were having fun?”

“Never mind. I’ll go home.” Cullen said.

“Come on, tell me!” Mia pushed his shoulder.

“Fine. I’ve decided I will become a Templar.” Cullen said proudly, he stood with his feet apart and crossed his arms.

Rosalie giggled. “If you will be a Templar then I will be… a princess! No, wait. . a cat!” Rosalie giggled.

Mia looked at Branson and jerked her head in Cullen’s direction. He took off charging at Cullen and tried to tackle him. Cullen saw Mia’s head movement and moved in time. Branson ended up head first into the lake.

“Well done, Ser Cullen.” Mia smiled and clapped him on the back. “Come on Bran, let’s go home.”

__

 

As the years progressed, Cullen continued to read as many books as he could find and visited the Chantry every day. He would watch the Templars train and mimic their moves as they sparred.  Several of the Templars had noticed his constant presence.

“Cullen, shouldn’t you be helping your family?” The two knights continued to spar.

“I finished my chores, Ser. I wanted to watch you to see if I could learn how to use a sword.”

The knight held up his hand to his companion to take a rest break. “Why would you want to learn to use a sword? How old are you now Cullen?”

Cullen stood up straight. “I am ten years old, Ser. I wish to learn to use a sword and shield to become a Templar.”  

The knight smiled. “You’ve decided to become a Templar at ten years old, a very serious decision for one so young.”

“No Ser, I decided when I was eight. I am not sure how to become a Templar, so I thought I should come to the Chantry.”  Cullen was hopeful the knight would tell him what he should do.

“A wise decision, Cullen, the Chantry is the best place for you to start. I would suggest you begin by learning the Chant of Light.”

Cullen closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“There was no word  
For heaven or for earth, for sea or sky.  
All that existed was silence.  
Then the Voice of the Maker rang out,  
the first Word,  
And His Word became all that might be:  
Dreams and idea, hope and fear,  
Endless possibilities.”

Cullen took another breath and let it out and opened his eyes.

The two knights stared. “How much have you learned, Cullen?” Their expression made Cullen nervous.

Cullen was suddenly embarrassed. “I didn’t. . .  I’m sorry. I’ve been memorizing the Chant since I was eight.”

They looked at each other.  “Cullen, if you continue to study the Chant on your own, I will teach you how to use a sword. But only after your chores or family responsibilities are complete. Will you agree?”

“Yes . . . I mean yes, Ser Donall. Thank you.”

Cullen ran back home to tell Mia.

“You shouldn’t get his hopes up, Donall. There’s no guarantee he would be formally accepted and trained.”

Ser Donall shook his head. “Any eight year old who can focus enough on even part of the Chant to learn it by memory has the right to at least learn a few techniques. What he does with them will be up to him.”

___

Cullen trained with Ser Donall almost daily. He learned that all the time he and Branson played knight, they were doing it wrong. By the time he was eleven, Ser Donall and several other knights were impressed with Cullen’s ability to absorb the information they shared with him.

“No one stands still, Cullen. You must move, but it is not dancing about, this is not a dance. Each motion has a purpose, a starting point and a finish. Dancing around and waving your sword only tires you out. You learn to stop your opponent’s motion, not block them but prevent the action from completing. Use the opposite blade to your opponent. If you see my flat?”

Ser Donall motioned with his practice sword to show Cullen what he meant.

“I use my edge and then the reverse, is that right?”

“Good, show me.” Donall used the practice sword and swung upwards. Cullen brought his sword flat mid swing. “Exactly, don’t hold back. Keep your head in the fight, Cullen, watch your opponent. Learn their moves, you only have a short time. Be observant.”

Day after day, Cullen would practice, each week they would show him something new. These were all simple techniques. Timing, how to leverage yourself against your opponent, using the distance from your opponent as an advantage. All the basics Cullen would need to improve on his own.

Mia would watch his sessions. Their parents expressed concerns, but Mia persuaded them again and again to allow Cullen to continue. She saw in him such desire to be a Templar. Because of this she fought for him anytime an argument would begin.

“He spends too much time with that wooden stick. Mia, talk to your brother.” Her mother was not happy again.

“No, Mother. Cullen needs to do this. This is his path. I know it.”

Mia truly believed in him. She saw such strength in her brother, something she’d not seen when they were younger. Now that Cullen was twelve, she fought harder than ever to be sure their parents did not  stop him.

“I don’t like the idea. Neither do your brother and sister. They don’t want him to leave.”

Mia paced around and talked with her arms sweeping in grand gestures. “That’s just . . . too bad! Mother, he wants to help people. He’s not meant to be in Chantry as a priest or scholar. Cullen is meant for this. I know you don’t agree, but the Maker chose him, Mother. I believe in him. Please, you must let him continue.”

Her mother shook her head and pushed away from her chair. “Mia, your father is leaving this up to me and I don’t know.”

Mia tried again. “Mother, if the Maker chose Cullen, who are we to deny that choice?” Mia smiled.

“You, child, should have been born to a diplomat with all the wind your words carry. All right. Cullen can continue, but you watch him carefully. If he gets in too deep and needs help?”

Mia hugged her mother. “I promise to pull him back. I’ll even have Bran and Rosie help me.”

__

Mia was Cullen’s biggest supporter. She’d arranged for training games with her siblings. She’d turned their seeking game into ‘hunt the apostate’.

Rosalie usually objected. “Why am I always the apostate? It’s not fair!”

Branson called down from the tree. “When you can climb the tree this high, then you can be the Templar archer and I’ll be the apostate!”

Rosalie countered. “Why can’t I be the archer on the ground and you be the apostate in the tree?” 

Branson laughed. “Who ever heard of an apostate in a tree? Rosie, girls make better apostates anyway.”

“So why isn’t Mia the apostate?” Rosalie was getting close to a very whiny tone.

“Because it’s my game and we are helping Cullen so stop complaining!”

Cullen appreciated everything Mia was doing to help him. Between his sessions at the Chantry and his playtime with his siblings, Cullen was improving as time moved forward.  
___

Just before Cullen’s thirteenth birthday, the knight captain from Redcliffe was visiting Honnleath for a week.

Ser Donall did not wish to stop young Cullen’s training and hoped the knight captain might see what they did. A young man with enough skills to be considered for formal training in the Order.

The afternoon session started late. Ser Donall cautioned Cullen about the visiting knight captain from Redcliffe.

 _He’s testing me today. Making me use everything I’ve learned._   Ser Donall was relentless, one session after the other. All the while he would call out the first line to various stanzas of the Chant for Cullen to complete.

When they finished their session. Ser Donall introduced Cullen to the visiting knight captain.

“You are Cullen Rutherford, I understand.”

Cullen stood perfectly still. He breathed in slowly and planted his feet on the ground. “Yes, knight captain.”

“You hope to become a Templar?”

Cullen resisted the urge to nod. “Yes, knight captain.” 

“I am impressed with how much you have learned without the benefit of growing up in the Chantry. Would you be prepared to leave your home and family should the Order accept you as a recruit?”

Cullen thought well on the knight captain’s question. “Knight captain,  I would miss my family, that is true, but I sincerely hope I might be worthy to continue with formal training within the Templar Order.”

Cullen averted his gaze but could see the look that passed between his knight trainer and the knight captain. “I believe the knights here feel you are worthy Cullen Rutherford of Honnleath. I would speak with your parents to get their permission.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Cullen,  Branson and Rosalie all stood outside while a discussion raged inside. Cullen could hear a raised voice now and then. But it was always Mia who he could hear the loudest. “This is ridiculous! Think about what this gives to Cullen, Father! A Templar! Cullen is the best suited for this profession, he is not a farmer. You see how he loves this, you hear it when he prays. How could you not allow him to follow this path?”

The discussion continued for some time, but the tone of the conversations finally calmed and Cullen could hear that an agreement was reached. The knight captain emerged from the Rutherford home and smiled. “Cullen Rutherford, you will report to the local Chantry, tomorrow morning to begin your formal training. The Maker has smiled upon you. Embrace your goals.”

Cullen thanked the knight captain. “Cullen, one piece of advice, stay in the good graces of your sister. She is your strongest supporter and believes in you. Carry that with you as you begin your journey within the Order.”

Rosalie hugged Cullen until her arms hurt. “I don’t want you to go.”

“I promise you Rosalie, the training will be worthwhile. I will succeed.” Cullen watched as Mia exited their home.

“Rosie, Cullen will be fine. Just you wait.” Mia smiled and joined her sister’s hug.

They’d spent rest of the afternoon just playing and talking. Branson leaned against the dock talking with his brother.

“It will not be the same without you here. In fact, I should be a little mad, leaving me with the two of them. I’m not though. Branson stuck his hands in his pockets. He pulled out a coin. Look at that, what luck!” He looked at Cullen and smiled. “You know what? Take this. A little luck can’t hurt, right?”

“Thank you, Bran. I’ll keep it and return it to you.” Cullen said.

Cullen did not sleep well that night. He was too eager, too excited to even attempt to close his eyes.  
When the sun rose that morning, Cullen was there to greet the sunrise. His face to the warmth of the sun, he closed his eyes and inhaled the morning air. It was finally time to begin. Cullen Stanton Rutherford would become a Templar. With nothing but his brother’s coin in his pocket, he said his farewells to his family. Mia hugged him fiercely. “You listen to what they teach you. Show them who you are, Cullen. I believe in you, no matter what happens, I always will.”

Cullen’s parents expressed similar sentiments and his father instructed him to remember everything he had learned so far. “Many will be more skilled than you, it does not mean you are weak. Work hard, my son.”

Rosalie cried and hugged Cullen until Mia pried her loose. His goodbyes behind him, Cullen left to start the next chapter of his life.


End file.
